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The song was written about Salford, then in Lancashire, England, the area where MacColl was born and brought up. It was originally composed for the 1949 play Landscape with Chimneys , produced by Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop and set in a North of England industrial town.
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May 4, 2024 · Ewan MacColl wrote “Dirty Old Town” in 1949. The song originated from MacColl’s participation in the second “Peoples’ Festival of Britain” in 1948. The event was organized to celebrate working-class culture and featured grassroots entertainment, music halls, and local performers.
Feb 28, 2016 · Dirty old town is a song written by Ewan MacColl in 1949, sung here by MacColl and his wife, Peggy Seeger. The song is about the town of Salford, England, where MacColl was raised.
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- Manouche Jazzist
"'Dirty Old Town' was written by Ewan MacColl back in the 1950s about Manchester. But even within that, he's loving the city. He's loving the town, despite the grime, the dirt and the industrial landscape. We did it and we recorded it at the soundcheck. Played it at the gig and caught the moment.
His song "Dirty Old Town", inspired by his home town of Salford in Lancashire, was written for the play Landscape with Chimneys (1949) produced by Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop.
Ewan MacColl, born and raised in Salford, wrote “Dirty Old Town” with an intimate knowledge of the city. Originally composed as an interlude for his 1949 play Landscape with Chimneys, set in a North of England industrial town, the song gained popularity beyond the theater scene and became a folk music standard.
Dirty Old Town. Ewan MacColl. Track 4 on Black and White: The Definitive Collection. Featuring. Peggy Seeger. Producer. Tom Scott. The song was written about Salford, Lancashire, England, the...
